Dunk the editor and homophobia

Dermot Ryan from ACON and Shane Duniam from Tropical Fruits getting ready to sink homophobia at the show.

If Echo editor Rudi Maxwell has ever pissed you off and you have been waiting for your chance to get her back at her, Friday morning at 10am could be your chance. Rudi will be one of the many prominent local people who will be taking part in the ACON and Tropical Fruits 'Sink Homophobia' stall at the show.

ACON manager Dermot Ryan said the aim was to have a laugh while raising a serious issue in the community.

“Incidents of homophobic violence still occur and although many organisations, businesses and individuals are attempting to sink homophobia, there is still work to be done on this front,” he said.

In the past few months there have been several violent attacks on gay people in the area including a 20-year-old who was thrown through a shop front window in Ballina and a man who was followed home from the Nimbin pub and bashed.

“We need to get the whole community on side and let them know that this affects everyone and we need to do something about it. It creates fear and forces people to repress their sexuality which can lead to other health and social problems,” he said.

Other people taking part in the dunking include Lismore Police Inspector Nicole Bruce, the manager of the Lismore Workers Club Steve Bortolin, Northern Rivers Social Development Council CEO Tony Davies, Vanessa Wagner's alter ego Tobin Saunders and many others.